System and method for processing currency and identification cards in a document processing device

Abstract

A document processing device having an evaluation region disposed along a transport path between an input and output receptacle capable of processing both currency bills and identification cards. An evaluation unit enables entry of source identification information before or after processing currency bills. Memory is adapted to store source identification information for multiple batches of currency. Multiple batches are placed in the processing device for multiple batch processing. The evaluation region includes detectors for detecting predetermined characteristics of currency bills and distinguishing identification cards from currency. During processing, the identification card, or other separator card, is sent to a predetermined output receptacle designated as a reject receptacle. Currency that is rejected is sent to the reject receptacle. Rejected currency is separated into batches by the identification cards sent to the reject receptacle during processing.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of processing at least two batches of documents, comprising the acts of:
 entering into memory of a document processing device source identification information for at least two batches of documents in a sequence; 
 loading the at least two batches into the document processing device for multiple batch processing in a sequence consistent with the sequence in which the source identification information was entered into memory; 
 after entering the source identification information for the at least two batches into memory, initiating the transport of the batches in a sequence consistent with the sequence in which the source identification information was entered into memory, one document at a time, through the document processing device to obtain characteristic information from the documents in the at least two batches, pausing the transport between each batch. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the act of determining batch information for each of the at least two batches based on the obtained characteristic information. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1  further comprising the acts of:
 receiving a header card with each of the at least two batches; and 
 obtaining the source identification information for each of the at least two batches from the header cards before loading the at least two batches into the document processing device. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 3  further comprising the acts of:
 removing the header cards from the at least two batches before transporting the at least two batches through the document processing device; and 
 replacing at least one header card with a separator card to separate the at least two batches when the at least two batches are loaded into the document processing device. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  comprising the act of transporting the separator card to an output receptacle of the document processing device and transporting rejected documents to the output receptacle such that the separator card separates rejected documents from a first batch from rejected documents from a second batch of the at least two batches. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  comprising the act of successively entering characteristic information for the rejected documents from the first and second batches such that after batch information for the batches are matched with the source identification information, the batch information for each batch reflects the entered characteristic information for the rejected documents. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the act of successively entering characteristic information for the rejected documents comprises reloading the rejected documents into the document processing device for reprocessing. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 3  further comprising the acts of:
 removing the header cards from the at least two batches before transporting the at least two batches through the document processing device; and 
 after removing the header cards, loading the at least two batches without the header cards into the document processing device such that a paddle of the document processing device separates the at least two batches. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  comprising the act of allowing the paddle to advance during the multiple batch processing. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 3  further comprising the acts of:
 loading the at least two batches into the document processing device with at least one of the two header cards such that the at least one header card separates the at least two batches; 
 transporting the header card separating the at least two batches to an output receptacle; and 
 transporting rejected documents to the output receptacle such that the header card separating the at least two batches separates rejected documents from the first batch from rejected documents from the second batch, wherein the source identification information for each of the at least two batches is entered into memory of the document processing device before transporting the rejected documents to the output receptacle. 
 
     
     
       11. A method of processing at least two batches of documents, comprising the acts of:
 loading the at least two batches into an input receptacle of a document processing device with at least one separator card separating the at least two batches for multiple batch processing; 
 starting transportation of the batches in a sequence, one document at a time, from the input receptacle through the document processing device to at least one output receptacle to obtain characteristic information from at least some of the documents in the at least two batches; 
 pausing transportation of the documents from the input receptacle when the at least one separator card is detected by the device and the device determines that documents that the device has obtained characteristic information from are still being transported to the at least one output receptacle. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  comprising the act of resuming transportation of documents from the input receptacle when the device determines that documents that the device has obtained characteristic information from have been transported to the at least one output receptacle. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 11  comprising the act of directing the separator card to a reject receptacle. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  comprising the act of obtaining source identification information for one of the at least two batches from the separator card. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the acts of:
 determining batch information for each of the at least two batches based on the obtained characteristic information; and 
 after determining batch information for each of the at least two batches, entering source identification for each batch into memory in a sequence consistent with the sequence in which the at least two batches were transported through the document processing device. 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15  wherein the act of entering source identification information for each batch comprises bar code scanning a plurality header cards respectively associated with the at least two batches. 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  comprising the act of keying into memory characteristic information for rejected documents associated with a first of the at least two batches before bar code scanning the header card associated with a second of the at least two batches. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 11  comprising the act of prompting an operator to enter source identification information associated with a first of the at least two batches after the documents from both the first and second of the at least two batches have been transported through the document processing device. 
     
     
       19. A method of processing multiple batches of documents including currency bills and a header card, comprising the acts of:
 capturing source identification information on a header card in a batch of documents including currency bills to identify the source of the currency bills in the batch of documents; 
 placing the currency bills with the header card in an input receptacle of a document processing device; 
 transporting each of the documents from the input receptacle, one document at a time, past a detector; 
 evaluating each document to obtain characteristic information associated with a document; 
 determining if a document is a header card; 
 pausing the transporting of the documents from the input receptacle when a header card is detected by the device and the device determines that documents that the device has obtained characteristic information from are still being transported to at least one output receptacle; 
 transporting the header card to an offsort receptacle; 
 transporting each of the currency bills, one bill at a time, past a currency detector; 
 evaluating each currency bill to obtain characteristic information associated with a currency bill; 
 determining whether each currency bill meets or fails at least one criterion; 
 directing each currency bill to the at least one output receptacle based on the determining; and 
 directing a separator card to at least one output receptacle to separate documents from consecutive batches. 
 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 19  further comprising the act of comparing the source identification information to information from an information library. 
     
     
       21. The method of  claim 20 , wherein the information library is a database. 
     
     
       22. The method of  claim 20  wherein the information library is stored in the document processing device. 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 20 , further comprising the act of remotely accessing information from the information library. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 19  further comprising the act of resuming the transporting of documents from the input receptacle when the device determines that documents that the device has obtained characteristic information from have been transported to the at least one output receptacle. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 19  wherein the act of placing is carried out using a cartridge. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 19  further comprising the act of printing a set of characters on at least one of a header card and a separator card. 
     
     
       27. A method of processing multiple batches of documents including currency bills and a header card, comprising the acts of:
 capturing source identification information on a header card in a batch of documents including currency bills to identify the source of the currency bills in the batch of documents; 
 placing the currency bills with the header card in an input receptacle of a document processing device; 
 transporting each of the documents from the input receptacle, one document at a time, toward at least one output receptacle; 
 determining if a document is a header card; 
 obtaining characteristic information from each currency bill; 
 determining whether each currency bill meets or fails at least one criterion; 
 directing each currency bill to at least one output receptacle based on the determining; 
 pausing the transporting of the documents from the input receptacle when a header card is detected by the device and the device determines that documents that the device has obtained characteristic information from are still being transported to the at least one output receptacle; 
 transporting the header card to an offsort receptacle; and 
 directing a separator card to at least one output receptacle to separate documents from consecutive batches. 
 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 27  further comprising the act of comparing the source identification information to information from an information library. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 28  wherein the information library is a database. 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 28  wherein the information library is stored in the document processing device. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 28  further comprising the act of remotely accessing information from the information library. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 27  further comprising the act of resuming the transporting of documents from the input receptacle when the device determines that documents that the device has obtained characteristic information from have been transported to the at least one output receptacle. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 27  wherein the act of placing is carried out using a cartridge. 
     
     
       34. The method of  claim 27  further comprising the act of printing a set of characters on at least one of a header card and a separator card. 
     
     
       35. The method of  claim 1  wherein the batches of documents include currency bills. 
     
     
       36. The method of  claim 5  wherein the batches of documents include currency bills. 
     
     
       37. The method of  claim 9  wherein the batches of documents include currency bills. 
     
     
       38. The method of  claim 10  wherein the batches of documents include currency bills. 
     
     
       39. The method of  claim 11  wherein the batches of documents include currency bills. 
     
     
       40. The method of  claim 12  wherein the batches of documents include currency bills. 
     
     
       41. The method of  claim 17  wherein the batches of documents include currency bills.